Is Teen Sex Bad?
 

I would like to know what your opinions are about this. There was an article in the washington post about it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...051500713.html

Yes
 

Teens are not equipped to handle the emotional baggage that comes with a sexual relationship.

If the US has the highest rate among sexually transmitted diseases, pregnacy, childbirth and abortion - then for that very reason I would have to say YES - teen sex is bad/wrong. But also from a biblical standpoint ... flee fornication ... the act of sex before marriage is something that I personally would try and steer any young person away from.

Sexual activities outside of marriage leads to many things that as a teen they aren't ready to cope with and handle. But what do you do when its heard in our music, its seen and advertised on television, and can be searched on the internet. Sex is as common as chocolate! No matter where you turn its there!

So we as older and responsible adults have to train up our children/teens to know what is right by God's eyes or our eyes (depending on your spiritual relationship) verses the commonality of sex that is seen.

When I hear or read these astonishing statistics about teen sexuality it is just amazing.

I still remember when I was a teenager and thought that a boy speaking to me made him my man (at least for that day).:D Nowadays these kids are having these full fledged relationships like they know what they are doing.

I is just so sad. I talk to my nephew all the time and tell him that he better keep his "friend" in his pants. It is just so difficult when all they see is sex everywhere.

I agree with what's been said so far.

We still have to tell kids/teens to wear coats when it's cold outside. Why would we think we could trust them to figure out, on their own, an issue so much more complex?

Re: Is Teen Sex Bad?
 

I think that *anything* is bad for someone (teen or adult) if that person is not equipped to handle the consequences - teen or adult. Shoot, some of these men running around having babies all over the place (and the women letting them) - sex is bad for them too! And their adults.

When a teen is able to step out of his mommy and daddy's house, get a house of his/her own and raise a baby on his/her own w/out relying on someone to help (whether it be mommy and daddy or gov't. mommy and gov't. daddy) then teens should talk about having sex. When they are ready to face potentially contracting HIV, Herpes (which apparently is on the rise) and any other number of sexually transmitted, non-curable diseases, then maybe.

SC

Amen brotha...if we have to tell them to come out of the rain and in some cases 1+1=2 why should I think you are mentally and emotionally equipped to handle sex and ALL of it's ramifications afterwards?

I agree with this
 

A child should be just that a child. I think it is easier to say what we would want for young people but was it that easy for us to do what we are suggesting? I lived by the example of my parents. My mother always explained to me that its not great to have a large number of sexual partners and you should love who you give yourself to and not just like them a lot. That set the tone for my standards as a youth.

If you are able to move out and provide for a child, then you are an adult and most teens just are not ready, curious but not ready. So how do we prepare the not ready but, they are going to do what they want anyway and he just have to hope that we provided enough morals and values in them to make the best decision. All children run to what we tell them not to run to.

Just to piggy back on everything that has been said KNOWLEDGE is POWER. As parents we have to empower our children. I truly don't believe that if we don't talk about it, it won't happen. That is turning a blind eye to the inevitable. I truly believe that if parents talk to their children about sex and not threaten them about doing it the outcome would be different.

Indeed

I agree with everything everyone has said thus far. I have had to experience it first hand raising my sisters teenage daughter. I've always talked to her about sex since she was 12. I took her in when she was 16 and that was one of the first conversations I had with her when she moved in. Boy...its not easy. Not too long ago, I found a condom wrapper along with a letter in her room about her first sexual encounter and BOY was I thrown for a loop. I always thought I was ready for the day, but I had to sit down for a minute and figure out what my next step was going to be. She just wasn't comfortable talking about sex. Personally I feel that if you're not comfortable talking about it, you have no business doing it.
I told her that with the information I had, I was forced to keep talking to her and educating her about sex. Not just throwing the negative in her face, though. Sex is a natural thing as long as both people are READY and know what/are willing to accept consequences that come along with it. You know how it is when we tell kids fire is hot...they want to find it out for themselves. Ultimately I just have to keep on talking and praying that she gets it and have faith that she will make wise decisions.

AMEN-that an honorable thing your are doing by raising your sister's child and a blessing that she has you as a role-model. God bless you in your endeavors with her. I pray that she does make the right decision and follows your teachings.

Sidenote: Again, I was wondering who was going to run in here and post "Teen Sex is actually GOOD." I know, I know....back to the topic at hand. :p

enigma_AKA

This statement jumped out at me. I agree completely! (And this might go for some adults!)

I'm not a bit shocked at the research findings based on what I know of this world. I'm going to have to align with the sentiments of the rest of y'all and say that we (parents, friends, media) need to be calling children into responsibility rather than turning a blind eye to this situation.

I've been interested in the psycho-social cultural phenomenon of "adolescence" that has entered western culture in a big way. Traditionally, a child would become an adult without all this confusion along the way. One minute you're a child, then you go through a rite of passage and then you're an adult...and you understand what's happening. We seem to be promoting some sort of extended childhood with some of the freedoms of adulthood. And I'm personally seeing it as more of a problem in the States than in Europe.

Sometimes I need to hear that. Thank you:)